Larval stage duration, age and growth of blue lanternfish Tarletonbeania crenularis (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880) derived from otolith microstructure

Abstract

Tarletonbeania crenularis specimens were collected off Oregon in 2006 and 2009 and aged by enumeration of growth increments in otoliths (sagittae). Three microstructural zones were evident in the otoliths of juvenile and adult fish: central, middle, and external. The number of increments in the central zone are thought to be deposited during the larval phase which is restricted to the uppermost 350 m water layer. The middle zone constituted of barely visible increments, most likely represented a non-migratory behavior of transforming larvae and early juvenile stages. Well defined growth increments were found in the external zone which was presumably formed during extensive vertical migrations of juvenile and adult fish. If the enumerated increments were deposited daily, as previously validated for other myctophid species, the examined individuals indicated a shorter life span than has been formerly reported on the basis of length frequency analysis. The otolith microstructure interpretation was supported by otolith size to fish length proportions and somatic growth of larvae and postlarval fish. Otolith length to standard length relation was described by linear regression models for larvae and postlarval migratory stages with an abrupt disruption between these two groups. The number of growth increments in otoliths plotted against standard length showed a curvilinear growth for larvae and for the postlarval fish. The lack of information on the size at age of transforming larvae and non-migratory early juveniles did not allow us to estimate a complete growth model for T. crenularis. However, a pronounced decrease in growth between larval and postlarval migratory phases was distinguished. The uncoupling of otolith and somatic growth was interpreted as a merged effect of downward migration of larvae to the mesopelagic transformation depth, prolonged stay of transforming larvae and early juveniles at this depth without performing diel vertical migrations, and shrinkage during metamorphosis. Back-calculated hatch dates suggests a prolonged spawning season of this species without any distinct peak.

Age and growth of Benthosema pterotum (Alcock, 1890) (Myctophidae) in the Oman Sea

“…An inverse relationship between the number of increments in the central and middle zones as in B. pterotum otoliths ( r 2 = 0.158) was also observed for T. crenularis ( r 2 = 0.161) (Bystydzieńska et al., ) and a few other myctophid species (Z. E. Bystydzieńska, unpubl. data).…”

“…In the Benthosema genus, as well as in most members of the Myctophids species, a short metamorphosis period exhibited by a low number of growth increments in MZ could be explained by a larvae morphology that does not differ greatly from that of the adults, so that the metamorphosis does not constitute such an abrupt change in overall morphology and does not take much time. To the contrary, in species belonging to the Gonichthyini tribe a much more prolonged period of transformation is expected, as in T. crenularis (Bystydzieńska et al., ), with a complex change in larval morphology (Moser and Ahlstrom, ; Matarese et al., ). Increments presumably deposited during the regular vertical migration of post‐larval specimens (juvenile and adults) of B. pterotum compose the external zone (EZ) of the otolith.…”

Distribution, hatch-date, growth, and mortality of larval Benthosema pterotum (Pisces: Myctophidae) in the shelf region of the East China Sea

“…An allometric equation was adopted for Diaphus theta during the larval and juvenile stages (Moku et al, 2001), while linear equations have been used for B. pterotum, Ceratoscopelus warmingii and Tarletonbeania crenularis (Ozawa & Peñaflor, 1990;Takagi et al, 2006;Bystydzieńska et al, 2010). An allometric equation was adopted for Diaphus theta during the larval and juvenile stages (Moku et al, 2001), while linear equations have been used for B. pterotum, Ceratoscopelus warmingii and Tarletonbeania crenularis (Ozawa & Peñaflor, 1990;Takagi et al, 2006;Bystydzieńska et al, 2010).…”

Microstructure of the otoliths of the glacier lanternfish, Benthosema glaciale

“…Gartner (1991b) proposed that in myctophids, during the metamorphic process, a migration takes place from the epipelagic to the mesopelagic zone, and that this, coupled with the abrupt shift in habitat, induces a metabolic response recorded in the otolith as the PZ. The myctophid otolith is a particularly useful tool for deciphering the duration and chronology of some life-history events (Bystydzieńska et al 2010).…”

“…Temperature gradients influence the fish during its vertical migration, enforcing deposition of growth increments and making them very clear (Linkowski 1996). Several authors have used the microstructure of the otoliths to determine age and growth of myctophids (Young et al 1988;Gartner 1991a;Linkowski et al 1993;Tsarin 1994;Greely et al 1999;Takagi et al 2006;Bystydzieńska et al 2010), but only a few studies have compared their macro-and microstructure (Giragosov and Ovcharov 1992;Greely et al 1999;Shelekhov 2004). Although it is strongly recommended that validation experiments be undertaken before field material is examined (Fox et al 2003), they have not been reported for myctophids, one of the reasons being that their maintainance under experimental conditions for more than brief periods has been unsuccessful (Robison 1973).…”